1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a convection oven, such as may be used in commercial bakeries.
2. Prior Art
My U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,053 discloses a convection oven of the rack type. It is also known to inject steam or water vapor into the oven chamber at the start of baking, both in conveyorized ovens and in rack or other types of ovens that work on a batch basis.
When bread is baked in a convection oven, namely in an oven in which the bread is contacted by flowing hot air, it has been known to introduce water vapor or steam into the oven atmosphere for a brief interval at the initial phase of the baking process before the oven atmosphere is caused to circulate. This step aids in obtaining the desired color and crispiness of the crust of the bread.
Swiss Pat. No. 532,363 produces steam within the oven by spraying water on the walls of steaming chambers which are heated by the circulating air.
In Swiss Pat. No. 548,161, there is disclosed a steam or water generator which utilizes a separate independent heater for each steam generator.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,667, a conveyorized oven has a steaming unit disposed at the entry end of a conveyor and uses a steam generator which is remote from the conveyor or coveyor housing to provide steam for direct application to the bread, there being a second fan for producing steam circulation which flows over the entering bread remote from the conveyorized baking portion of the device.
The application of steam or hot water vapor must be effected during a rather short period of time, and difficulties have been encountered in the past in providing a sufficient amount of vaporized water.